ICOPE Encourages Sustainability Support for Sustainable Palm Land

Kebun Kelapa Sawit (Ist)

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INDUSTRY.co.id - Nusa Dua - International Conference on Palm Oil and Environment (ICOPE) 2018 encourages land intensification to support sustainable palm oil development that contributes to the community and meets the food needs of the world's population.

"We have committed no more deforestation," said Sinar Mas Director of Agribusiness and Food Franky Oesman Widjaja as one of the organizers of ICOPE 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Wednesday (26/4/2018).

It also supports government programs by participating in providing assistance to smallholders or oil palm plantations managed by citizens in community palm or community replanting.

Provision of quality seeds, use of fertilizers, sustainable agricultural practices and help find sources of funding is a form of assistance to smallholders who manage their land independently.

Thus, for two million hectares of oil palm for example can add production to six million tons per hectare or double the previous results.

"For one million farmers, revenues increase to four billion US dollars per year, this is incredible," he said in addition to saving land with the intensification of the land.

Franky as quoted by Antara said vegetable oil from palm is also a solution to meet the needs of the world community since the year 2045-2050 estimated the population in the world reaches about 10 billion so it needs 200 million additional vegetable oil.

To generate this demand, he said, the required land area of ​​approximately 30-40 million hectares, the area is considered more efficient than other vegetable oil sources such as soybeans that require about 400 million hectares and seeds produce oil or "rapeseed" reaches about 285 million hectares.

According to him, the sustainability of the palm can be achieved when there is a balance between economic opportunities, environmental protection and community welfare which at the same time is a key to the palm oil sector and a key component in this year's meeting with a "solution for local production".

In the two-year meeting, there were about 400 speakers from 30 countries co-chaired in a conference covering farmers, activists, owners of oil palm plantations, and some environmentalists and experts who were supportive and critical of oil palm development.

Chairman of ICOPE 2018 JP Caliman said during 11 years since it started in 2007, the conference handled the issue of environmental impact from palm oil production as well as a useful and unbiased resource related to sustainable palm oil production.

"Since 11 years three partners share the same value for the sake of achieving sustainability of the palm oil industry, collaborating in the confidence of science," he said.

The three partners that held the conference were Sinar Mas Agribisnis and Food, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia and the international cooperation and research organization of agriculture from France namely Cirad.